Midwinter update

Cold weather is keeping me down. Did get a short scoot in last week, here's to hoping for a bit better weather soon. There's a pile of presents under the tree that i think might be for the trike, lol. Can't wait for Christmas morning. Later.

Fall riding

Last weekend rode two different rides, one up into the mountains to a place called Granite Falls, beautiful place, long ride in a group. The other was a charity ride, a toy run for a smaller town north of us, loads of fun. This weekend was a ride jokingly called the Iron Butt, 12.2 miles, lol, then a great lunch ride afterwards, it was a fund raiser for the scholarship fund. Then today was the infamous Oyster run, loads of bikes of all sizes, shapes and descriptions. The cooler fall weather has allowed me to enjoy the trike far more and even with the lower fairings on. Yeah for fall.

Heat and Fairings

Well, after a battle with the heat I did remove my lower fairings, ahh, the breeze was wonderful. Then the weather turned squirrelly again and remembering the fight to get them off I went right down and bought the quick disconnect kit. This is a very cool little kit that once installed lets you remove and replace the fairings with no tools. It isn't quite as fast as they say to get them on, but off would take maybe 5 minutes. All hand tightened connectors. Around our country if we go to eastern washington it could be 60 degrees here and 90 degrees there, I suspect I am going to be very happy to have the option to take them off or put them on.

HOT Weather

Hmmm, well since last I posted I have been playing around with ways to cool myself and the trike more efficiently in this hot weather. Then the temperatures went over 100 and I gave up riding for few days. I did take the lowers off and that has helped considerably, I did break down and spent the outrageous sum to get a digital oil thermometer, that is definitely helping track the overheating issue much better. I am playing around with the EITMS function since I do a bit of in town traffic, I'll post if I get results. Thursday when I was washing to the bike I closed the trunk and now it's stuck, so back the shop, ugh, sometimes I hate being and early adopter of all things cool.
I did loan the trike to a very good friend (two wheeler person) to test out, he agreed it is an excellent ride and somewhat different from a two wheeler. Takes time to get to know any new thing. I wouldn't let pretty much anyone ride my trike, but this person I trusted sooooo much.

Specs on Tri Glide vs Yaris

As promised, here is the get up and go details on the trike.
The Tri Glide is powered by a Twin Cam 103 V-Twin engine with Electronic Sequential Port Fuel Injection (ESPFI), rated at 101 ft. lbs. of torque. It retains the 6-speed Cruise Drive transmission used on Harley-Davidson Touring motorcycles, but adds an optional electric reverse ($1,195) integrated with the rear differential assembly that is engaged with a handlebar-mounted reverse module. The Tri Glide has dual front disc brakes and a Hayes Brake dual-disc rear brake system with a lever-actuated, integrated park brake.
Here's the rest of the story if you are interested.

Now, here's the giggle, this is the specs on my Toyota Yaris, which is a little bit of a commuter car.
1.5-liter DOHC 16-valve VVT-i 4-cylinder 106 hp @ 6000 rpm; 103 lb.-ft. @ 4200 rpm
Hmm, pretty comparable get up and go.

Ride to Winthrop

Ok, I am starting to feel like I really like to abuse myself. I was, until this summer a casual rider but this summer is different, I've put very close to 1,000 miles on my trike in the last 10 days. My husband says, "hey baby, let's go on the Sun Mountain Lodge lunch ride." I wasn't too sure, we had come through there last week and it seemed like it was a long ways from home. Well, I was right, 360 miles round trip FOR LUNCH. To add to the enjoyment it rained on and off all the way home then after we got close to the freeway it started to rain in earnest so the run home on the freeway was shortest but also the wettest. Now, don't get me wrong, the other folks we went with are all friends and it was a fun ride, but I'm realizing my butt can't take over about 300 miles in a day. Not to mention the lunch could best be called adequate for a gourmet price. Oh well, our fearless road captain tried, you cannot control restaurants unfortunately and I doubt they will benefit from our patronage again.

Ride to Republic and boy was it hot.

Well, spent the fourth of July weekend on the road. Went on a group ride with the HOG group to Republic, WA. Over 300 miles in one day and once we reached Eastern Washington the temperatures began to rise. This was my first long trip on the new trike and she performed beyond my expectations. Fast, powerful, comfortable and more. Everything Harley promised. I kept my spot at the back of a group of 20+ bikes, for those of you who have ridden in the back like that it's a bit like being part of a slinky, group is tight, loose, tight. The speeds varied from 60 or so to 80 plus to keep the group a reasonable length. At one point out in the flats I passed a truck and glanced down at the speedometer, I was doing nearly 90mph. I was hoping for a road trip that would test the trikes limits and I think I very nearly did. Lots of twisty, turns and I didn't get tired or feel like I was fighting the trike through the corners, and we were taking them at the upper edge of sensible for the situation. I contemplated why those who have ridden a two wheeler for years sometimes struggle with cornering, well cornering on a trike is very different from a bike and I suspect they waste time trying to ride like it's a bike.
Loads of fun and I am looking forward to going straight back over to Eastern Washington this Sunday on a lunch ride. By the way, pulling passes, no problem, one of the passes on the way over is 4800 feet, no issues there. All in all my trike is definitely proving she is also a touring bike with a vengeance.